Gidget—originally named Dumpling—was rescued from Rifle Animal Shelter in Colorado after she was determined to be a very high-drive dog who would likely be difficult to place. Her rescuer knew that there had to be a perfect placement out there for this little firecracker of a puppy, and took to social media to find it. After seeing one of Gidget’s posts online, SDF reached out to the owner, who was happy to conduct a preliminary evaluation to test her search dog potential, confirming that Gidget had great toy drive and intensity.
Gidget was still a young pup at the time, so she was placed with a foster in Colorado who had previously worked with SDF to help identify potential candidates for our program. A few months later, Gidget made her way to California and was placed with an SDF staff member who would continue to train and foster her until she was old enough to enter our program. When that time came, however, our trainers felt that her focus and toy drive hadn’t developed to the level needed for a working career, and determined that she would be happiest in an active home as a family pet.
Luckily, Gidget didn’t have to look far for her forever home—she was happily scooped up by her California foster mom, SDF’s Director of Canine Behavior and Training, Mandy Tisdale! Mandy is also canine handler to SDF search dogs Paul and Hope, who Gidget loves to playfully pester, as only little siblings can. This sweet, silly, adorable girl is the perfect addition to Mandy’s pack, and we couldn’t be happier for the two of them. Congratulations, Mandy and Gidget! We’ll see you both around campus!